A search is currently under way for a man from the vessel who is still missing.

The RACQ Lifeflight rescue chopper has refuelled and headed back out

The Dornier 328-110 has been looping around in the hopes of finding a fisherman

Divers joined the air and sea search at first light Wednesday, and are searching the trawler

FRIDAY 11AM: WATER police are continuing their search for missing skipper Brett Munn, who has been lost in open waters east of Fraser Island for more than three days.

Despite AMSA calling off their air search on Wednesday night, police have returned by boat to search the waters near the site where the incident happened around 2.40am on Tuesday.

The 53-year-old Yeppoon man became lost at sea when the 17m prawn trawler Seabring capsized suddenly.

Two deckhands who were also on board were rescued by a passing boat and have spoken to police about what happened.

Mr Munn was last seen in the wheelhouse of the trawler before it overturned.

THURSDAY 7.20AM: THE air search for missing skipper Brett Munn has been called off, but water police will continue to look for the 53-year-old by sea on Thursday.

On Wednesday evening, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) announced their search of waters south east of Indian Head, Fraser Island, had ended.

"The decision to end the AMSA-coordinated search was based on expert medical advice that the missing man could not have survived past [Wednesday], taking into account various factors including water temperature and weather conditions," An AMSA media statement read.

Up until Wednesday night, AMSA had coordinated the search for the missing man, after the 17m prawn trawler Seabring capsized about 2.40am on Tuesday morning.

Queensland Police are expected to continue searching the area and prepare a report for the Coroner.

AMSA and Maritime Safety Queensland said they would support the police investigation as required.

"AMSA extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the missing skipper," AMSA said.

"AMSA would like to thank the search helicopter crews, Queensland Police, Volunteer Marine Rescue and the local fishing fleet for their assistance in the search."

WEDNESDAY 3.25PM: THE search for missing man Brett Munn will resume at first light on Thursday after divers searched the capsized vessel finding no traces of the skipper.

Inspector Paul Biggin said it's believed the incident involving the capsizing of a prawn trawler off the coast of Fraser Island happened quickly and "caught everyone off guard".

"They [the deckhands] were at the rear of the vessel, they were doing the sorting component of the prawns," Insp Biggin said.

"There certainly has been rigging attached to the vessel and the seabed at one point, certainly still out at the moment, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's fixed or caught."

SKIPPER SEARCH: Brett Munn still missing in open ocean:
The search will continue at first light on Friday for 53-year-old skipper Brett Munn, who has been missing off the east coast of Fraser Island for more than two days.

The skipper was list seen in the wheelhouse of the vessel before it overturned in the early hours of Tuesday.

Insp Biggin said the two men who were rescued from the boat by a passing trawler were at the stern of the vessel when it capsized.

An inflatable life raft was activated giving the survivors something to grab onto and escape.

The men were found by the passing trawler in the life raft nearby soon after.

It was from within the life raft that they then activated the distress signal at 2.41am on Tuesday.

The search will commence again on Thursday at first light, more than 50 hours after the man disappeared into open waters.

Insp Biggen said there was still hope that the man would be found alive.

"Our efforts are now focused on searching waterways, beaches and land; Fraser Island, and searching from the air," he said.

"We have spoken to the next of kin of the missing man and have kept them up to date; we are still remaining hopeful for them that we will find the missing man alive and that will continue into tomorrow."

WEDNESDAY 1PM: POLICE-organised divers have reached the overturned prawn trawler in the waters east of Indian Head, Fraser Island and have worked out a plan as to how they will search it for missing skipper Brett Munn.

The 53-year-old Yeppoon man has now been missing in open waters for more than 30 hours, but hope remains that he will be found alive.

Two other men who were rescued from the ocean after the trawler; Seabring capsized about 2.40am on Tuesday have been interviewed by detectives.

Inspector Paul Biggin said he could not disclose what the men were able to tell police at this time.

The massive-scale search continues.

WEDNESDAY 8.45AM: SEARCH efforts for missing skipper Brett Munn have been ramped up in open waters east of Fraser Island, as emergency services remain hopeful of the Yeppoon man's survival.

Search efforts ramp up to find missing skipper:
Maryborough patrol group Inspector Paul Biggin says hope remains for missing skipper Brett Munn, who became lost in open waters east of Fraser Island in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Maryborough Patrol Group Inspector Paul Biggin said 10 choppers, a rescue plane, VMR, water police and other trawlers were all expected to join the search on Wednesday.

The inspector said divers would try to search the overturned prawn trawler; the Seabring, which capsized about 2.40am on Tuesday.

"The Seabring has moved south down Fraser Island, it is moving slower than the sea drift which means it's dragging either nets or linkage to the sea bed, while this is slowing down movement, it may also bring the vessel to bottom of the seafloor," Insp Biggin said.

"The divers will only search the vessel if it's safe."

Insp Biggin said weather conditions on Wednesday morning were more favourable than they had been, but the wind was expected to pick up again in the afternoon.

"The plan is to stay positive, search the vessel," he said.

Authorities are remaining in contact with the next of kin of the missing man to keep family informed.

Up close in the chopper searching for missing skipper:
Up close in one of the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter's out searching the open waters off Fraser Island on Wednesday at first light after a skipper went missing in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The two men rescued from the overturned vessel will be interviewed by detectives on Wednesday morning in the hope of finding out how the incident occurred.

Insp Biggin said he imagined the men would want to head back out to search for their missing mate, as they did yesterday after they were rescued.

"They did an excellent job," he said.

"I would like to thank the trawlermen and other trawlers involved in the search yesterday and were taken off line, as they would appreciate if they were lost, the same would be done to them.

The search will continue until last light Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY 6.30AM: Divers have joined the search at first light for a 53-year-old skipper who became lost at sea in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

A police media spokesman said divers had joined the air and sea search which resumed at first light Wednesday.

The Yeppoon man, Brett Munn, went missing after a 17m prawn trawler 'Seabring' capsized about 2.40am on Tuesday about 9km south east of Indian Head on Fraser Island.

The two other men on board were rescued and joined the search to look for their mate.

Missing Yeppoon skipper Brett Munn.

TUESDAY 5.20PM: THE 53-YEAR-old skipper who became lost at sea more than 12 hours ago remains missing, but emergency services remain hopeful of his survival.

The Yeppoon man, Brett Munn, went missing after a 17m prawn trawler 'Seabring' capsized about 2.40am on Tuesday about 9km south east of Indian Head on Fraser Island.

Two other men; one 43 and the other 37-years-old, were rescued from life rafts by a passing trawler, but the skipper has yet to be found.

CAPSISED: The prawn trawler Seabring overturned while about 9km east of Fraser Island, leaving one man adrift at sea.Facebook

Hervey Bay Inspector Paul Biggin said eight helicopters and seven trawlers had helped with the rescue so far, as well as other search assets.

"The Police vessel Conroy -which is a 24m purpose built vessel with divers en route at the moment, they should be there at about 5.30 this afternoon," Insp Biggin said.

"Also utilising the services of national parks and police on Fraser Island to look for debris and also in conjunction with air sea rescue and VMR."

Insp Biggin said if Mr Munn was not found by last night on Tuesday, the search would continue on Wednesday.

"Tomorrow if we have no luck in finding the missing skipper today, we'll proceed again first light to commence the search," he said.

"AMSA will coordinate the air assets and we'll coordinate sea rescue."

The Inspector said divers would investigate the scene tomorrow.

SEARCHING: Debris found during search for 53-year-old skipper off the coast of Fraser Island.RACQ Careflight

While the cause of the incident is still under investigation, Insp Biggin said the boat's netting had come in contact with the sea floor.

The Inspector said the situation was precarious, but police had been liasing with the skipper's family, and were hoping to find the man soon.

The Seabring overturned just nine nautical miles north of the Cassandra; a Bundaberg fishing trawler that left two men; David Chivers and Matt Roberts missing at sea in April.

TUESDAY 1PM: EIGHT rescue helicopters, four fishing vessels, a VMR crew from Bundaberg and a plane are all searching for a man who is believed to be missing in the open waters about 9km east of Fraser Island.

The massive operation has been ramping up since a distress signal was sent from a trawler off the coast of Indian Head around 2.40am this morning.

TAKING OFF: Choppers tasked to the search and rescue operation for a man missing in open waters off the east coast of Fraser Island.RACQ

Two men were found not long after the boat capsized, but one man has been missing in the water for more than 10 hours now.

An Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman told the Chronicle a water police vessel was expected to join the search some time later today, as well as divers to search the site.

He said the large-scale search was covering an area of more than 600 square kilometres.

"The vessel capsized approximately 9km east of Fraser Island, but the vessel itself isn't moving," the spokesman said.

"It may be that it's connected fast to an obstruction on the sea floor, it may be that some part of the vessel is caught on the sea floor but we won't be certain of that until later."

He said the cause of the boat capsizing was still under investigation.

AMSA's Dornier 328-110 rescue plane is widening its search for a fisher missing from a trawler in open waters near Indian Head.Contributed

A Hervey Bay VMR boat was also tasked to the scene earlier this morning, but Vice Commodore Jill Barclay said the conditions were too rough.

"We didn't have the fuel opacity in the rough conditions; over two metre swells, strong 15 to 20 knot winds - those are difficult searching conditions, where you're just looking for a little head in the water."

Vice Commodore Barclay said the conditions were not expected to change in the area over the next few days.

TUESDAY 10AM: Two crew members from the overturned vessel were rescued by crews from trawlers in the area.

The men were not injured and remain on a boat which is currently searching for the third man who has been missing since the trawler overturned at 2.40am on Tuesday.

Two RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters have been tasked to the search area off Fraser Island by and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority RACQ LifeFlight

The vessel overturned 5km south east of Indian Head off Fraser Island.

A police vessel is proceeding to the search location.

Three helicopters and three fishing trawlers are currently in the search area looking for the man.

LifeFlight choppers in search:
Two RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters have been tasked to the search area off Fraser Island by and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

TUESDAY 9AM: The Australian Maritime Safety Authority have a plane in the air that's scouring the seas about 8km off the shores of Fraser Island's Indian Head in a search for the missing man.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority have a plane in the air that’s scouring the seas about 8km off the shores of Fraser Island’s Indian Head in a search for the missing man.

The Dornier 328-110 has been looping around in the hopes of finding a fishermen who has been missing since the trawler he was on capsized in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

TUESDAY 8.30AM: THE RACQ Lifeflight rescue chopper is currently refuelling at the Hervey Bay aerodrome, and is expected to be sent back out in search for a man missing in the waters off Fraser Island.

RESCUE: A search and rescue operation is ongoing for a man missing about 8km out from Indian Head, Fraser Island.Google Earth

An RACQ spokesman told the Chronicle there was a possibility of a second chopper joining the rescue.

Water police are also searching for the man, after the trawler he was on capsized around 2.40am on Tuesday.

Two other crew members were found, but one man remains missing.

TUESDAY 7AM: A MARINE search is under way for an overturned trawler off Indian Head on Fraser Island.

Two crew members from the vessel were found after a flare was sighted at approximately 2.40am on Tuesday.

The vessel overturned approximately 8 kilometres from Indian Head.

A search is currently under way for a man from the vessel who is still missing.